I don’t go to the movies much these days because I’m in NYC, and I don’t want bedbugs crawling all over me like that scene in Peter Jackson’s King Kong remake. But if I did go to the movies, I wouldn’t, because the last several times I went there was always some fool texting within my line of sight. Now a theater chain based in Arizona is launching a nationwide campaign to try to get through to these self-involved types that texting in a darkened theater is wrong.

The campaign includes replacing promotions of coming attractions in poster cases with “No Texting During Movie” signs… [and will] run through Christmas.

“We’re asking that moviegoers have respect for other guests around them,” Harkins spokesman Bryan Laurel said. “People feel they aren’t disturbing others but someone getting on Facebook or Twitter, that quick burst of light can be distracting,” Laurel said.

The fact that this even has to be addressed proves how feral most of humanity is, but of course the Arizona Republic still managed to find someone who thinks texting in theaters is a free speech issue:

“I mean, c’mon. You don’t want the baby to cry or someone talking loudly on their cellphone, but a cellphone light shouldn’t bother anyone. Freedom of speech, isn’t it?”

Thank you for joining me today for Cranky Old Man Writes A Blog Post.

“Scottsdale-based Harkins wants to ban texting during movies” [AZCEntral] (Thanks to David!)

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.